


In Your Hands

by olliolli_oxenfree



Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Gen, i saw a shit post so perfect i wrote a fic, some minor depictions of an operation but nothing too graphic cause i'm squeamish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 21:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 465
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18533380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/olliolli_oxenfree/pseuds/olliolli_oxenfree
Summary: Based onthispost from tumblr. A plague-infected Lucio lets the apprentice open his body up and take a peek-see. He then tries to do the same, but like, emotionally.





	In Your Hands

“Rearrange my _guts_ , daddy.”

“Why isn’t he under anesthesia?”

Valdemar sighed, a long life of suffering in the look given to Doctor Devorak. “He’s under so much anesthesia.”

“Skylar. _Skylar_.” Lucio’s head lolled in the direction of the magician. “Think I’ll be as pretty on the inside as I am the outside?”

“We’ll see,” Skylar answered with the infinite wealth of patience he possessed.

It was Skylar’s idea, insofar as having someone walk _away_ from one of Valdemar’s vivisections. Lucio had not died on the third day of plague infection, nor the fourth. He survived through the week, and one month turned into five when Skylar had lamented in jest that the cure might have been inside the longest surviving victim all along. The count had sneered, turned the thought over for a few days, and finally declared the experimental operation to be held: under the condition that Skylar be the only physician to touch him.

“You’re right, you know,” Lucio continued. “I’m the cure.”

A flash of emotion passed over Valdemar’s face, missed by both Skylar and Ilya in the look they shared over Lucio’s body. Skylar rolled his eyes and pressed a glowing hand to the count’s head. “Night night, Lucio.”

The surgery began as they alway did. Skylar removed the intestines, making remarks as he placed them upon dangling hooks. Ilya took period looks at the count’s form and whatever was removed between making detailed sketches, Valdemar noting down Skylar’s observations as they had the legible writing.

* * *

“Easy does it,” Skylar said with a grunt, guiding Lucio back into the pile of pillows that made up half the count’s bedding. “There we go.” With the count settled he took to arranging the pillows: adjusting a corner here and fluffing a side there. It could have been perfunctory had Lucio not known the difference between a servant doing it for the count and Skylar doing it because he cared.

“Rest for now. I’ll have the kitchen prepare for when you’re hungry. It’s just going to be broths until you’re healed, in case you’ve forgotten.”

“...you…”

“What about me?” Skylar leaned back, a smile on his face to show he had taken no offense and merely had not heard what the count said.

Lucio’s words came out soft between long breaths. “I wish I met you instead of Noddy.”

Skylar bit his tongue to keep his laugh from spilling out. Placing a finger on Lucio’s forehead, he pushed so Lucio sank further into the bedding. “See if you remember saying that when you’re lucid.”

“Mean it,” Lucio’s words slurred together as sleep crept upon him.

“Remember saying it when you’re lucid,” Skylar repeated. “I’ll hear you out about it.”

Lucio did remember, but as he didn’t mention it Skylar pretended he never heard it.


End file.
